The Montgomery High School boys basketball team ended the week in first place in the Mesa League standings with a 3-0 record following Wednesday’s 67-47 win at Bonita Vista.
The ninth-ranked Aztecs, who improved to 14-3 overall, trailed 11-10 after the first period and were on the bottom of a 32-27 score at halftime before catching fire in the second half to out-score the Barons 40-15 to come away on top.
Montgomery out-scored Bonita Vista 24-10 in the third quarter to jump ahead 51-42 on the scoreboard.
Sebastian Morgan led the Aztecs with 15 points in the comeback win while Tim Crawford contributed 14 points and Rahin Williams added 13 points. Kyle Paranada tossed in 12 points as four Montgomery players finished in double-digit scoring.
Morgan dropped in three treys.
Williams led the victors with 10 rebounds while Crawford grabbed eight rebounds. Morgan and Williams each had four assists.
Ze’Tiam Burton had two blocks and three steals for Montgomery, which next plays at San Ysidro (0-4 in league. 6-15 overall) on Wednesday, Jan. 17.
The 67 points scored in Wednesday’s game was the lowest output in nine games for the Aztecs, who are averaging 76.6 points per game.
Paranada leads the Aztecs in season scoring with 19.8 points per game, followed by Crawford with 17.2 points per game, Williams with 12.6 points per game and Morgan with 10.0 points per game.
Williams and Crawford top the team with 7.1 and 6.8 rebounds per game, respectively.
Crusader Nation
Seventh-ranked Mater Dei Catholic matched Montgomery’s league start with a pair of wins this week to improve to 3-0 in Mesa League play, 13-5 overall.
The Crusaders topped visiting Otay Ranch, 77-59, on Wednesday and bested host San Ysidro, 95-52, on Friday (Jan. 12) to remain undefeated in league play.
Mater Dei next plays at Rancho Christian in a showcase game on Saturday, Jan. 13, and meets Grossmont in a non-league game on Tuesday, Jan. 16, in East County.
The Crusaders return to league play on Wednesday, Jan. 17, when they host Eastlake.
Beon Ja Riley tops Mater Dei Catholic with a 16.9 scoring average this season while Joshua Tawhiao is averaging 15.2 points per game and Trey Anderson is averaging 15.0 points per game.
Anderson leads the team with 6.9 rebounds per game.
Riley had 24 points while Anderson had 17 points in the win over Otay Ranch.
Kaelin Rains led the Cougars with 20 points in Friday’s game.
Mater Dei is scheduled to play at Montgomery in a league game on Jan. 24.
In another Mesa League game on Friday, Otay Ranch defeated visiting Bonita Vista, 73-55 behind 16 points from Chris Stanek and 16 points from Diego Sanchez.
Stanek sank 12 points in the loss to Mater Dei Catholic.
In another Mesa League game on Friday, Eastlake remained undefeated in league play at 2-0 after edging visiting Olympian, 46-45, as Brian Leonhardt led the winners with 11 points. Gio Martinez keyed the Eagles with 15 points in the loss.
Red Devils, Lancers tip off South Bay League with 2-0 starts
Sweetwater received 28 points from Neilryan Pangilinan and 19 points each from Jimmy Mattox and Craig McMillan to overcome a game-high 33 points from Southwest’s Diego Edwards to post a 73-58 home court victory to remain undefeated (2-0) in the early going of league play.
The Red Devils tipped off league play with a 75-41 win at Mar Vista.
Hilltop kept pace with Sweetwater at the top of the South Bay League standings after edging visiting Mar Vista, 60- 59, on Friday. Justin Wilson led the victorious Lancers with 14 points while Marcos Deanda tacked on 12 points.
Mar Vista’s Justin Stonebraker led all players in the game with 24 points while teammate Carl Villanueva dropped in 10 points in the setback.
Hilltop opened league play with a 56-32 win at Castle Park on Wednesday.
Chula Vista topped visiting Castle Park, 55-42, on Friday to pick up its first league win behind 14 points from Carlos Arevalo and 12 points from Francisco Escobar.
Mesa League Standings
(Through Friday, Jan. 12)
League/Overall
Montgomery Aztecs 3-0, 14-3
Mater Dei Catholic 3-0, 13-5
Eastlake Titans 2-0, 10-7
Olympian Eagles 1-2, 12-6
Otay Ranch Mustangs 2-2,10-6
Bonita Vista Barons 0-3, 12-8
San Ysidro Cougars 0-4, 6-15
Tuesday, Jan. 9
Olympian 37, Helix 34 (non-league)
Wednesday, Jan. 10
Montgomery 67, Bonita Vista 47
Olympian 54, San Ysidro 46
Mater Dei Catholic 77, Otay Ranch 59
Friday, Jan. 12
Eastlake 46, Olympian 45
Otay Ranch 73, Bonita Vista 55
Mater Dei Catholic 95, San Ysidro 52
Monday, Jan. 15
Bonita Vista at Eastlake, 6 p.m.
Otay Ranch at Santana, 7 p.m.
Wednesday, Jan. 17
Otay Ranch at Olympian, 6 p.m.
Eastlake at Mater Dei Catholic, 6 p.m.
Montgomery at San Ysidro, 6:30 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 19
Olympian at Mater Dei Catholic, 6 p.m.
San Ysidro at Bonita Vista, 6 p.m.
Montgomery at Eastlake, 6 p.m.
South Bay League Standings
(Through Friday, Jan. 12)
League/Overall
Sweetwater Red Devils 2-0, 7-6
Hilltop Lancers 2-0, 4-12
Southwest Raiders 1-1, 6-10
Chula Vista Spartans 0-1, 5-13
Castle Park Trojans 0-2, 0-13
Mar Vista Mariners 0-2, 4-11
Wednesday, Jan. 10
Southwest 70, Chula Vista 48
Sweetwater 75, Mar Vista 41
Hilltop 56, Castle Park 32
Friday, Jan. 12
Hilltop 60, Mar Vista 59
Chula Vista 55, Castle Park 42
Sweetwater 73, Southwest 58
Monday, Jan. 15
Sweetwater vs. West Hills at Christian High School (MLK CClassic), 3 p.m.
Wednesday, Jan. 17
Chula Vista at Hilltop, 6 p.m.
Southwest at Mar Vista, 6 p.m.
Sweetwater at Castle Park, 6 p.m.
Thursday, Jan. 18
Mar Vista at High Tech High Chula Vista, 6 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 19
Hilltop at Southwest, 6 p.m.
Castle Park at Mar Visa, 6 p.m.
Chula Vista at Sweetwater, 6 p.m.
